Lead generation is a crucial tool for any company looking for new business. But, what do we really mean when we say lead generation? And if it’s important for new business, how do we ensure we’re doing it right?

We answer these questions and more in the following blog.

What is lead generation?

According to Shanaka Thanapathy, in marketing, lead generation is the initiation of consumer interest or inquiry into products or services of a business.

We’ll repeat the important part… the initiation of consumer interest. Ask yourself, what are your company doing to initiate the interest of your ideal target audience?

Lead generation campaigns are run to source and identify new prospects, ideally of high quality to add to your sales pipeline. On top of the core objective of earning further revenue, lead generation will create brand awareness and establish relationships with leads that you source.

What methods are used?

Lead generation can use a mix of both offline and online tools. From telemarketing campaigns to digital methods such as PPC and SEO, the forms in which lead generation can take vary but all have a common goal: to provide you with prospects that could potentially convert.

With digital channels, it comes down to positioning and being in the right place at the right time. Essentially, being where your audience is in an online platform. Offline channels can include various forms of advertising, print and television.

Again, it’s about generating the interest of your target customer whether that’s over a call, an email open, a download or taking another action.

We work with several companies across a variety of industries, running telemarketing or telesales campaigns where we speak to prospects to generate leads directly from the target audience over the phone.

We’re not here to say whether offline or online is right as both are powerful, but the solution which is best is probably mix of them both. Both are proven to yield great results, which can present a platform for multi-channel marketing opportunities.

Lead generation in B2B telemarketing

What B2B telemarketing offers is the human-to-human (H2H) element of prospecting that many channels don’t have. This interaction gives an added personable element that digital marketing lacks, and is a direct conversation with the right people.

Regardless of the marketing channels you are using and for what particular campaign you are using them on, having a conversation with an individual also gives you an answer there and then as to where they sit in the buying cycle.

There’s something in that saying – If in doubt, give them a call.

What can I do help my lead generation tactics?

So we know what it is, and the types of tools you can use to carry out lead generation.

But, how can we make sure we are doing it well?

The following points cover key aspects of lead generation looking at core strategies to ensure you run it effectively.

Data, data, data

…Where it all begins. Without the right data in the first place, you’ll be contacting all the wrong people. Clean it, segment it, and know exactly who you are communicating with.

Know your audience

Who are you targeting? What does that perfect customer look like? Have an understanding of the personas you are looking to target, in order to ensure you campaigns are hitting the right people.

Follow up and nurturing

There isn’t much point in generating a bunch of fantastic leads and not bothering with follow up. Lead generation isn’t just about sourcing the leads; it’s about identifying hot prospects and continuing to

Lead qualification

Qualify your leads. Lead generation is effective with the right process. This includes how you manage it, what your strategy is, how you integrate your marketing channels and what actions you take to monitor, maintain and maximise the value of your sales leads.